Sant'Angelo Lodigiano - Italian security forces have struck a major blow against a criminal organization specializing in blowing up ATMs. In the early hours of the morning, officers from the Lodi Carabinieri investigation core executed a series of arrest warrants in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano. They were supported by units from Codogno, a helicopter squadron from Orio al Serio as well as specialized dog squads and defusing teams from Milan and Brescia. A total of five people were arrested on charges of aggravated theft with the use of explosives and violations of the Weapons Act.
The dangerous technology of the „Marmotta“
The investigation, which was conducted under the direction of the Lodi public prosecutor's office between October 2025 and January 2026, began in response to a series of robberies at bank and post office branches in the provinces of Lodi and Pavia. Investigators were able to identify a group operating from a logistical base in the province of Lodi. The gang's trademark was the so-called „Marmotta technique“. The perpetrators used handmade, flat explosive devices that were inserted into the dispensing slots of the vending machines. The enormous force of the detonation not only opened the safes, but also caused massive structural damage to the affected buildings.
According to the findings of the investigation, the group used stolen vehicles in advance for their quick heists, which gave the operation the name „RAID“. The criminal organization was characterized by precise planning and specific technical knowledge, which enabled them to carry out the crimes within a very short time and flee undetected.
Preventive successes and pre-trial detention
Over the course of months of surveillance work, the authorities succeeded several times in thwarting planned attacks in advance. In one particularly explosive case, the Carabinieri were able to seize a vehicle near an ATM in the Lodi area that already contained two explosive devices ready for use. This seizure presumably prevented an imminent attack on a bank.
Following their successful arrest this morning, the five suspects were transferred to Lodi prison. The investigators point out that the presumption of innocence applies to all suspects until a final judicial clarification. The operation marks an important success in the fight against serious property crime in northern Italy, where dangerous explosives are increasingly being used in public spaces.
